Ross and Smartie
Horse Portraits painting by Andrew Hunt

(Acrylic on board)
This commissioned portrait painting of two horses, Ross and Smartie, was initially prompted by a serious foot infection on one of the horses, and the concern that he might be lost.
All turned out well in the end: the infection finally cleared up, and the painting was able to proceed without the fear it might be a final record.
As an almost white Gray, the speckles on Ross's coat made him particularly interesting (and challenging) to paint, and Smartie has a really fine stripe that adds plenty of distinctive interest.

Client's response:
"I am so delighted with the painting. The likeness is absolutely amazing"
Georgina

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With a good range of reference to work with, I was able to try out quite a few  variations for the composition, before finally settling on using the two images below.
One particular consideration was whether Ross, being light coloured, should be front or back - it made a surprising amount of difference between the two options. The end result was a clear preference  for Ross at the back, giving them more even prominence.

Click below for more information on how to commission a portrait painting of your own horse(s):